Million Dollar Championship
Encyclopedia
The Million Dollar Championship was a professional championship in WWE created by The "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase
. The Million Dollar Belt was designed by Terry Betteridge of Betteridge Jewelers in Stamford, Connecticut
. The belt is gold plated, made with cubic zirconia
, and has three tiny diamonds that were inserted behind the belt. The belt cost around $125,000.
, having lost the final match of the WWF World Championship tournament at WrestleMania IV
to "Macho Man" Randy Savage
. During the Summer of 1988 DiBiase teamed with André the Giant
, in a team known as "The Mega Bucks", while chasing the WWF World Championship.
A frustrated DiBiase decided that if he couldn't win or buy the WWF World Championship he would purchase his own championship belt. In 1989 DiBiase unveiled a new championship belt, which he called the Million Dollar Championship. This title was never official and therefore unsanctioned by the WWF, and rarely did DiBiase defend his "title". Jake Roberts
stole the title during their feud, but DiBiase had his bodyguard Virgil steal it back at Wrestlemania VI
.
As part of his feud with "Rowdy" Roddy Piper
DiBiase's bodyguard Virgil turned face and trained with Piper to face DiBiase at SummerSlam 1991 for the title, which Virgil won, making him the only wrestler to win the title at the time.
During DiBiase's second title reign he abandoned the title when he won the WWF World Tag Team Championship
on February 7, 1992 with IRS
.
Ted DiBiase would later go on to award the title to his newest protégé "Ringmaster" Steve Austin
on his arrival in the WWF in early 1996. After his protégé lost a match against Savio Vega
on May 28, 1996, DiBiase was forced to leave the WWF.
After a 13 year absence, the belt reappeared on WWE television in 2009 when DiBiase, the guest host of the night, appeared on the July 6 episode Raw, carrying the Million Dollar Championship as he carried out his duties. Nearly a year later, when DiBiase was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame
on March 27, 2010, he had the Million Dollar Title with him, saying he "never leave[s] home without it." On April 5, DiBiase's son, Ted DiBiase, Jr.
, after disbanding the tag team Legacy, came out holding the championship belt, claiming his father had given it to him. WWE's official website confirmed the reactivation of the unsanctioned title under DiBiase, Jr.'s profile. On the October 4 episode of Raw, Goldust attacked Ted DiBiase Jr. and gained possession of the championship. On the November 8 episode of Raw, Goldust's own wife Aksana
stole the Million Dollar Championship from him. On the November 15 edition of Raw Goldust stole the title back and returned it to DiBiase, Sr. He then offered to return it to his son, who rejected the offer.
Ted DiBiase
Theodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase, Sr. is a retired professional wrestler, manager, ordained minister and color commentator. DiBiase achieved championship success in a number of wrestling promotions, holding thirty titles during his professional wrestling career...
. The Million Dollar Belt was designed by Terry Betteridge of Betteridge Jewelers in Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
. The belt is gold plated, made with cubic zirconia
Cubic zirconia
Cubic zirconia is the cubic crystalline form of zirconium dioxide . The synthesized material is hard, optically flawless and usually colorless, but may be made in a variety of different colors. It should not be confused with zircon, which is a zirconium silicate...
, and has three tiny diamonds that were inserted behind the belt. The belt cost around $125,000.
History
Ted DiBiase was unable to win the WWF ChampionshipWWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
, having lost the final match of the WWF World Championship tournament at WrestleMania IV
WrestleMania IV
WrestleMania IV was the fourth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on March 27, 1988 at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, New Jersey....
to "Macho Man" Randy Savage
Randy Savage
Randall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
. During the Summer of 1988 DiBiase teamed with André the Giant
André the Giant
André René Roussimoff , best known as André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. His best remembered acting role was that of Fezzik, the giant in the film The Princess Bride...
, in a team known as "The Mega Bucks", while chasing the WWF World Championship.
A frustrated DiBiase decided that if he couldn't win or buy the WWF World Championship he would purchase his own championship belt. In 1989 DiBiase unveiled a new championship belt, which he called the Million Dollar Championship. This title was never official and therefore unsanctioned by the WWF, and rarely did DiBiase defend his "title". Jake Roberts
Jake Roberts
Aurelian Jake Smith, Jr. is a second-generation American professional wrestler, the son of former wrestler Aurelian "Grizzly" Smith...
stole the title during their feud, but DiBiase had his bodyguard Virgil steal it back at Wrestlemania VI
WrestleMania VI
WrestleMania VI was the World Wrestling Federation's sixth WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event and the first to be held outside of the U.S...
.
As part of his feud with "Rowdy" Roddy Piper
Roddy Piper
Roderick George Toombs , better known by his ring name "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, is a Canadian semi-retired professional wrestler and film actor who is currently signed to WWE. In professional wrestling, he is best known for his work with WWE...
DiBiase's bodyguard Virgil turned face and trained with Piper to face DiBiase at SummerSlam 1991 for the title, which Virgil won, making him the only wrestler to win the title at the time.
During DiBiase's second title reign he abandoned the title when he won the WWF World Tag Team Championship
World Tag Team Championship
The World Tag Team Championship was the original professional wrestling world tag team championship contested for in World Wrestling Entertainment . It served as the premier title for tag teams in WWE from 1971 until 2002 when a second WWE Tag Team Championship was established...
on February 7, 1992 with IRS
Mike Rotunda
Lawrence Michael "Mike" Rotunda is a former American professional wrestler, perhaps best known under the name Irwin R. Schyster or I.R.S. for short. He is currently signed with WWE working as a road agent and making occasional appearances on WWE shows as Irwin R...
.
Ted DiBiase would later go on to award the title to his newest protégé "Ringmaster" Steve Austin
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Steve Austin , better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American film and television actor and retired professional wrestler...
on his arrival in the WWF in early 1996. After his protégé lost a match against Savio Vega
Savio Vega
Juan Rivera is a professional wrestler best known under the name Savio Vega. During the mid-late 1990s, he was an active wrestler in the World Wrestling Federation...
on May 28, 1996, DiBiase was forced to leave the WWF.
After a 13 year absence, the belt reappeared on WWE television in 2009 when DiBiase, the guest host of the night, appeared on the July 6 episode Raw, carrying the Million Dollar Championship as he carried out his duties. Nearly a year later, when DiBiase was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame
WWE Hall of Fame
The WWE Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for professional wrestlers maintained by WWE. It was officially created on the February 1, 1993 episode of the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw television program...
on March 27, 2010, he had the Million Dollar Title with him, saying he "never leave[s] home without it." On April 5, DiBiase's son, Ted DiBiase, Jr.
Ted DiBiase, Jr.
Theodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase Jr. is an American professional wrestler and actor signed with WWE, where he appears on its SmackDown brand...
, after disbanding the tag team Legacy, came out holding the championship belt, claiming his father had given it to him. WWE's official website confirmed the reactivation of the unsanctioned title under DiBiase, Jr.'s profile. On the October 4 episode of Raw, Goldust attacked Ted DiBiase Jr. and gained possession of the championship. On the November 8 episode of Raw, Goldust's own wife Aksana
Zivile Raudoniene
Živilė Raudonienė is a Lithuanian fitness model, bodybuilder and professional wrestler. She is signed to WWE, performing on their SmackDown brand under the ring name Aksana, and is training in Florida Championship Wrestling , WWE's developmental territory...
stole the Million Dollar Championship from him. On the November 15 edition of Raw Goldust stole the title back and returned it to DiBiase, Sr. He then offered to return it to his son, who rejected the offer.
Title history
| # | Order in reign history |
| Reign | The reign number for the specific set of wrestlers listed |
| Event | The event in which the title was won |
| — | Used for vacated reigns so as not to count it as an official reign |
| N/A | The information is not available or is unknown |
| + | Indicates the current reign is changing daily |
| # | Wrestlers | Reign | Date | Days held |
Location | Event | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DiBiase had the title created for himself and unveiled the belt during a segment called "The Brother Love Bruce Prichard Bruce Prichard is a professional wrestling personality, best known as a manager and producer for World Wrestling Entertainment , where he portrayed Brother Love, the original manager of The Undertaker... Show". This episode aired on tape delay Broadcast delay In radio and television, broadcast delay refers to the practice of intentionally delaying broadcast of live material. A short delay is often used to prevent profanity, bloopers, violence, or other undesirable material from making it to air, including more mundane problems such as technical... on the March 4, 1989. |
||||||||
| This program aired on tape delay Broadcast delay In radio and television, broadcast delay refers to the practice of intentionally delaying broadcast of live material. A short delay is often used to prevent profanity, bloopers, violence, or other undesirable material from making it to air, including more mundane problems such as technical... on November 24, 1991. |
||||||||
| DiBiase abandoned the title upon winning the WWF Tag Team Championship with Irwin R. Schyster Mike Rotunda Lawrence Michael "Mike" Rotunda is a former American professional wrestler, perhaps best known under the name Irwin R. Schyster or I.R.S. for short. He is currently signed with WWE working as a road agent and making occasional appearances on WWE shows as Irwin R... on February 7, 1992 in Denver, Colorado Denver, Colorado The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains... . |
||||||||
| The title was awarded to The Ringmaster by DiBiase during a segment of "The Brother Love Show". This episode aired on tape delay Broadcast delay In radio and television, broadcast delay refers to the practice of intentionally delaying broadcast of live material. A short delay is often used to prevent profanity, bloopers, violence, or other undesirable material from making it to air, including more mundane problems such as technical... on the January 8, 1996. |
||||||||
| The Ringmaster abandoned the title following DiBiase being (kayfabe) forced to leave the WWF on May 28, 1996. | ||||||||
| DiBiase, Jr. was given the championship by his father, "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase. | ||||||||
| Title returned to "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase and abandoned. |
Combined reigns
| RankEach wrestler's total number of days as champion are ranked highest to lowest; wrestler's with the same number mean that they are tied for that certain rank. | Wrestler | # of reigns | Combined days |
|---|---|---|---|